Greater Mooses Tooth still uncertain

Even though ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc. recently revised an application for a drilling permit at its Greater Mooses Tooth unit, the company said it has yet to make a final decision about whether to fund the development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management recently posted notice of an application by ConocoPhillips for a permit to drill the GMT1-B2 well on federal lease AA081798.

The company originally applied for the permit in 2013 and recently revised the application to reflect the conclusions of a supplemental environmental impact statement.

In January 2015, before BLM issued its record of decision for the project, ConocoPhillips announced that it would be deferring a final investment decision on the GMT1 project because of permitting and regulatory delays and unfavorable oil prices.

While GMT1 would primarily develop oil reservoirs in the region immediately west of the Alpine field, the GMT1-B2 notice describes the proposed well as a “gas well.”

ConocoPhillips has also applied for a BLM permit to drill the CD5-315 oil production well. The well is associated with the CD-5 satellite of the Alpine oil field currently under construction. The satellite involves drilling operations on state and federal lands.

- ERIC LIDJI